OnePlus, the beloved alternative Android brand, may be taking a big, blind leap into the manic world of gaming handhelds. A new leak showcases a device that looks more like a smartphone than a Switch 2.
An image of the supposed OnePlus handheld surfaced on the Chinese social media app Weibo, defies all logic of what we’ve come to expect from our pocketable phones. It includes two extended grips complete with additional texture that may make such a device easier to hold. There are two trigger-like buttons on top. The picture also shows the device with a dual-lens camera. The two lenses seem shrunken down compared to the company’s previous OnePlus 15 and midrange Nord devices, suggesting a deemphasis on camera capabilities.
OnePlus to enter gaming handheld category 👀
This is the first look of OnePlus’s first gaming handheld.
• Squarish design
• Rear camera presentImage is shared by DCS on Weibo.
Bald Panda yesterday also posted on Weibo that it will have:
• 8-inch display
• MediaTek… pic.twitter.com/SWXQR0LVmQ— Abhishek Yadav (@yabhishekhd) April 8, 2026
The leaked photo stems from Weibo user Digital Chat Station, a semi-reliable leaker. Fellow Weibo-based leaker Bald Panda further claims the gaming device will have an 8-inch display, which would be larger than any phone you can easily slip into most pockets. Still, it’d be more compact than a Steam Deck-like handheld PC. These leaks should be imbibed with a few extra grains of salt. We don’t know what the front of the device looks like and what controls it could support.
It remains unclear if OnePlus would keep this device exclusive to Asia or bring it to the U.S. and other countries. Instead of relying on Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processors—which have proven very gaming capable—this handheld could use a MediaTek chip, according to the Weibo leaks. The company has been pushing gaming-centric features on its flagship phones for years. For example, the “OP Gaming Core” decreases CPU power consumption while gaming, making it slightly more efficient.
OnePlus is in a bad place right now
Handhelds are currently a niche, though growing category in gaming circles. Many Android-based handhelds from companies like Ayaneo, Retroid, or AYN are designed for retro emulation. OnePlus may offer this handheld for fellow enthusiasts, but we would need a clearer picture of the device to tell what’s really going on.
The buzz around OnePlus is that it may be going through a larger transformation. For the last few months, numerous unverified reports and now-deleted X posts all claimed OnePlus was considering exiting the U.S. market altogether. OnePlus communications lead for North America, Spenser Blank, previously tried to reassure fans the company wasn’t going anywhere. Nothing has stopped the rampant speculation.
However, the China-based phone maker is certainly going through changes. The company’s CEO of OnePlus India, Robin Liu, reportedly stepped down and went back to China amid a larger “restructuring.” At the same time, there has been no official word nor confirming report to say OnePlus is done with the U.S. market.
OnePlus, which is owned by the larger mobile-centric conglomerate Oppo, started out its U.S. journey as a phone maker for discerning Android users. Their “flagship killer” phones offered better bang for buck than most Samsung phones or iPhones. With an enthusiast gaming handheld, OnePlus may be trying to get back to its roots in the weirdest way possible.
